Three contract workers died after being exposed to poisonous fumes and low oxygen levels while cleaning a wastewater treatment tank at a Tata Electronics factory in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, news agency Press Trust of India reported.The incident took place on Monday evening at a utility facility operated by Nalco Water at the factory, which makes and assembles components for Apple iPhones. Police said on Tuesday that the workers suffocated while removing sludge from the tank.The workers were identified as Kaveri, 30, from Hosur, and B Akmal and M Sarathi Kumar, both 28 and from Dharmapuri district.

According to PTI, Akmal first looked into the tank to inspect it but collapsed immediately after being exposed to the gas.Kaveri then asked Sarathi Kumar to check on Akmal, but Sarathi Kumar fainted after entering the tank. Kaveri subsequently went inside and also collapsed.

A fourth crew member who witnessed the incident alerted nearby staff. Rescuers pulled the three workers out of the tank and took them to a private hospital in Hosur, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.

Their bodies were later shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Krishnagiri for post-mortem examinations.Krishnagiri District Collector C Dinesh Kumar inspected the site and reviewed its safety procedures. He confirmed that suffocation during sludge removal was the primary cause of the deaths.

A detailed inquiry has been launched into possible breaches of safety rules at the plant, PTI reported. Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Virudhai Magal Keerthana said in a post on X that the incident would be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action would be taken based on the findings.

She said she had spoken to the district administration and directed it to provide all necessary support to the affected families and address the situation urgently."Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of three precious lives in the incident at Tata Electronics' facility in Hosur. My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones.

I pray for strength and courage for them during this difficult time," Keerthana wrote.The minister said the safety and dignity of every worker must remain paramount. "This tragic incident will be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings. We must ensure that every necessary measure is put in place to prevent such tragedies from recurring," she said.Nalco Water said the workers had been engaged by one of its subcontractors and that it was cooperating with local authorities in the investigation."We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident that resulted in the deaths of three workers engaged by a sub-contractor of Nalco Water, an Ecolab company, at the Tata Electronics site in Hosur, India," the company said in a statement.Nalco Water extended its condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the workers. “Our first priority is to extend all possible support to the families,” it said.The company said safety was a core value and central to Ecolab's operations. "We take this incident extremely seriously.

We are deeply committed to upholding the highest standards of safety across our operations and the sites where we work," it added.Tata Electronics and Apple had not issued official statements. However, the California-headquartered technology company was understood to be investigating the incident, PTI reported.Apple now makes roughly one in four of its iPhones in India.

It recently reported record revenue in the country for the September quarter, along with record Mac and services revenue and a September-quarter high in the number of iPhone users upgrading their devices. India was among the company's standout markets during the quarter.The deaths of the three workers have prompted investigations by the authorities and Nalco Water into safety practices at the utility facility, while the Tamil Nadu government has promised support for the families and action based on the inquiry's findings.- Ends